Whispers
by PirateBlacksmith
Summary: Will thought that the house would be the perfect wedding gift for Elizabeth. Until strange things start happening, all aimed at those of pirate blood. Now Jack has joined in, and the house is getting a little more dangerous...Completed.
1. Home

_1670_  
  
Mary Donner knelt in front of the hearth, using the poker to push the log towards the roaring fire. A few wisps of dark hair tinged with grey slipped loose from the tight bun, framing her face. She made no move to brush them back, mesmerized by the dancing flames. It was so quiet now. James and Emma were tucked in bed, and her husband, Commodore Andrew Donner, was down at the docks, waiting for the Governor's ship to come in.   
  
He worked late so many nights, but she found no reason to complain. They led a good life because he was so devoted to his work. He was a well respected man, known for his 'no tolerance' approach to piracy. That also made them many enemies. She couldn't count all the times that ominous messages had been left on their doorstep overnight, shady people following her and her children sometimes as they headed to the market, and on a rare occasion, a rock thrown through their window.   
  
The door creaked open, and she stood up. Picking her skirts up, she headed into the foyer to see her husband shut the door quietly behind him. Andrew turned towards her, a small smile on his lips. She rushed over, throwing her arms around his neck. He smelled of the salty sea air. Stepping back, she looked up at him. He was a tall, proud man, standing nearly a head above her, strong chiseled features, and piercing blue eyes.  
  
"Did everything go well?" She asked him quietly, leading him into the kitchen. He sat in his chair, pulling the cloth off the plate sitting in front of him. Each night she saved him a plate of food from dinner for him. She slid into the seat next to him.  
  
"Very well." He responded quietly. "The Governor's ship arrived without a problem. They encountered some pirate activity on the way here though. Apparently, a small merchant ship on its way here was attacked as well." He took a bite, and it was silent in the room as he chewed. "The only survivor was a young boy. They took him back to the mansion for tonight." He reached for his glass.  
  
"How terrible." She said, placing a hand on her heart. "That poor boy." A thought struck her. "You don't think the pirates might have been headed here, do you?" She whispered. There was a hint of fear in her voice. He looked towards her.  
  
"We can't be sure." He set his fork down. "I made sure there were extra men on the fort walls tonight, just to be sure. If anything should happen, we will know of it ahead of time." Andrew's hand slid across the table, taking her hand in his. "Don't worry."  
  
She gave him a weak smile. "You know I will anyway." He nodded.  
  
"You look weary. Get yourself to bed. I'll be up soon." Mary slid from her seat, kissing him on top of the head before leaving the dining room. A shaky breath escaped her as she walked up the stairs, skirts in hand. She should be used to this now. They'd been in Port Royal for six months now, and not a single thing, other than the mild threats, had happened. Their lives had been relatively peaceful. She pushed open the door to James' room, a smile crossing her lips as she saw the boy fast asleep. Quietly, she shut his door and walked across the hallway. Her daughter was also fast asleep in her room. She finally made it to their room, lighting a candle and getting undressed. Sleep had never sounded so good to her. After pulling the pins from her hair, she ran the brush through a few times before sliding into bed. Her gaze passed over the book on the nightstand, but she was too tired to read. She shut her eyes, curling her arms around her pillow and drifting off to sleep.  
  
Later that night, she felt an arm curl around her waist. A small smile slipped across her lips, and she reached down to place her hand on the arm. The grip tightened. She let out a gasp, her eyes flying open. "Andrew?"  
  
"Wrong, lass." She shuddered at the smell of the breath of the man whispering in her ear, thankful that she hadn't been facing him to get the full effect.  
  
"What do you want?" She whispered, trembling. Fully awake, she became aware of the sounds around her. Outside, she could hear the screams and gunshots; see the shadows created by the buildings in flames. She sucked in a deep breath, feeling her chest tightening. She was terrified. Her first instinct was to call out for Andrew, screaming his name as loudly as she could. The only response she got was harsh laughter from the man behind her. His grip tightened even more, and he yanked her from the bed, onto the floor. She stared up at him, standing over him. He leered at her, showing rotten teeth. Dark eyes glittered maliciously in his dirty face, as he waved the pistol over her face. She tried to look defiant, but the tears rolling down her face said otherwise. "Please…"  
  
"That's what they always say." He responded, reaching down and grabbing her by the hair. Mary winced, letting out a sob. "You play nice, you might live through this." He hissed at her. Pulling her to her feet, he dragged her to the door. She let out another sob, digging at his hands grasping her hair. They reached the stairs, and he pushed her. She tumbled down, landing in a heap at the bottom. The tears flowed freely now, and she called Andrew's name again. Barely a moment later, the pirate was back, pulling her roughly to her feet. His hand hovered close to her a face for a moment, and she seized her opportunity. She sunk her teeth into his hand. The hand holding her let go as the pirate bellowed in pain. She took the opportunity, sprinting for the dining room. The doors burst open as she pushed into the room. Her feet slipped, and she hit the ground. Her hands landed in something wet, and she sucked in a breath. She had landed in a puddle of something, but it was hard to tell in the dark room. Rolling over, she found the source of the puddle.  
  
A loud scream escaped her as she came face to face with her dead husband, blood leaking from the bullet wound in his forehead. She let out a terrified sob, scrambling to her feet. Still staring at his body, she started to run, and hit something. She looked around, to see that she had run right back into the arms of the pirate. He grabbed her roughly, leaning down.  
  
"I said if ye behaved, ye'd survive this." He growled. "Too bad ye didn't listen." The next thing she knew, a loud bang echoed in the room and a fiery pain spread up her abdomen. She gasped, sliding to the floor in front of him. One arm wrapped around her stomach as she sat heavily on the floor. He didn't even bother to give her another look as he started for the silverware drawer.  
  
Mary took a deep breath, but it was a lost battle. Slowly the life left her, and she slid to the floor beside Andrew. Her eyesight began to blur, growing light headed. She reached out a shaky hand, grasping Andrew's cold hand in hers. One last breath escaped her before she closed her eyes, and died.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_1678_  
  
"William, maybe it would be easier if you…"   
  
"Nonsense. We're doing this the proper way, Elizabeth." Will Turner muttered, trying to hold his new bride in his arms and unlock the door at the same time. Unfortunately, with the many skirts of her wedding dress, it was proving to be quite a task. Elizabeth's arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, as if she feared he would drop her trying to open the door. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, quite the opposite actually. She knew that he would do anything she wanted him to in a heartbeat, without question. It was his lack of grace that worried her.   
  
"It would still be proper if I just…"  
  
The key slid into the lock, and Will twisted the handle. He nudged the door open with his foot, turning sideways to walk inside. Once they had cleared the door, he turned to face the foyer. "Welcome home, Mrs. Turner." He said with a look of pride on his face. Over the past couple of months, he'd taken on as many jobs as humanly possible just to raise enough for the house. It was no where near the elegance of the Swann manor, but it was better than the small hovel he had called home for many years.  
  
He carefully set her on the floor, and she walked a few steps away. A smile appeared on her face as she gazed around. She turned around, running back to him and throwing her arms around his neck, her lips pressed against his. "I love it!" A relieved smile crossed his lips.  
  
"I know it's not as nice as yours…" She pressed a finger against his lips.  
  
"It's beautiful, Will. And it wouldn't matter where we lived, as long as I was with you." It had been a dream that he'd held forever, since the first time he had laid eyes on her. Just a small boy rescued from the remains of a merchant vessel on which he'd been a cabin boy. He'd seen her again after he'd become Brown's apprentice, delivering orders to the mansion, and catching glimpses of her. He remembered how nervous he'd been, waiting in the foyer to talk to Governor Swann, asking him for his permission to ask his daughter's hand in marriage. The Governor had been very reluctant. Bluntly he told Will the reasons he believed that he should say no. He wasn't sure that Will had the necessary means to support his daughter; that she would be marrying below her status, and the one that seemed to be the most emphasized, that he was the son of a pirate. Will had argued his case, saying that he had raised enough money to provide for Elizabeth. His job provided a steady income, now that he had finished his apprenticeship and could now be considered a master at the craft. He also assured him that his father may have been a pirate, but he was not. Not in the sense the Governor had meant. After a moments thought over what the blacksmith had said, Governor Swann agreed. He told Will that even though he had his doubts, knowing that Will loved Elizabeth that much, and that she loved him back, was enough for him. He gave his blessing.

 Elizabeth stood up on her toes, her lips brushing against his. "I can't believe we're finally married." She said softly. "It seems like nothing more than a good dream, but it's real." She pulled her arms from around his neck. "Shall we then?" The smile on her face became mischievous as she looked up the stairs, then back at him. He couldn't help but laugh at her before picking her up in his arms again, and going up the stairs. Down the hallway, he leaned against the door to open it, taking Elizabeth inside. She slid loose from his arms, allowing him to close the door as she walked over and fell backwards on the bed.  
  
Will walked towards her, unbuttoning the first three buttons of his shirt. He turned to light the candle on the bedside table, striking the match and lighting the wick. When the flame was burning steadily, he turned to face Elizabeth again. Only it wasn't her.  
  
In her place, an older woman laid on the bed. She stared up at him with dead eyes, blood matting the hair to her face. Then she blinked, and looked up at him, eyes full of hatred.   
  
"Dirty pirate…" He stumbled back into the bedside table, the candle rocking perilously. He rubbed his eyes, shook his head, and looked up again.  
  
Elizabeth had propped herself up on her elbows, staring at him in concern. "William, is something wrong?" She asked, getting to her feet. As she came into the candlelight, he could she it was his fair haired beauty. There was not a single speck of blood on her, and there was nothing but love and concern in her eyes.  
  
"It was nothing. Just a…I thought I saw something. It was just a strange shadow." He gave her a wan smile. It had all been an illusion, couldn't have been anything else. It was just a trick of the candlelight and shadows, nothing more. At least that's what he tried to tell himself. He shook his head again, laughing at himself for being so frightened of the shadows.  
  
Elizabeth smiled, taking hold of his shirt. "Now, Mr. Turner, where were we?" 


	2. Appearences

The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon when the cock wandering the streets outside gave a triumphant call. Will shifted slightly, before finally opening his eyes. Elizabeth lay next to him, her light hair falling over her sleeping face, content as her arm lay across his middle. He smiled, carefully removing her arm so he could slide out of bed. Finding his pants, he pulled them on before pulling open the door to the bedroom. With a look over his shoulder at her, he quietly closed it behind him, creeping downstairs. He entered the kitchen, rubbing his hands.  
  
"Cooking can't be that hard." He told himself quietly, looking around. Elizabeth had had servants to do it for her for most of her life, and she had seemed to pick up the skill pretty easily. Pulling an old, battered skillet from the cupboard, he set it on the counter in front of him. "Eggs. Eggs are easy." He pulled the hair back from his face as he walked across the kitchen to the cupboard. "Just crack them open, drop them in the pan..." He jumped as something fell from the cupboard as he opened it, falling across his bare feet. It was a child's wooden play cutlass. He crouched down, picking it up. It was odd how he hadn't noticed it before when he and James Norrington had been fixing up the house. He still found that hard to believe. After the incident with the undead pirates, blacksmith and commodore had come to a new respect for each other, and eventually a strange friendship had formed. Will had been very taken back when James had offered to help him out with the house after he had bought it. He set the cutlass upright in the cupboard again, out of the way. It might be of some use someday, when Elizabeth and he had children of their own. Standing up, he pulled three eggs from the basket, sliding the cupboard door shut. He wasn't so sure about this cooking thing. Starting the fire, he could do that. Actually cooking something over it was going to be the hard part. As he turned to walk back to the counter, he received his second shock of the morning.  
  
The child couldn't have been more than eight, and the mere presence about her made the hair on Will's neck stand up straight. Her long tresses hung limply around her pale face, obscuring part of it. Her chin was down, peering up at him with strange light blue eyes. There was nothing happy or childlike about her. Everything was so off...so wrong. He took a deep breath, swallowed, and forced a smile across his face. "Hello." He shakily set the eggs down on the counter as he stepped towards her. She didn't move, except for the eyes which followed his every movement. "I didn't see you there. How did you get in here?" Still she didn't respond. He crouched down a few feet from her, against the counter. "Do you have a name?" Her eyes locked on his, and they were full of anger, hate, and pain. He found that he was having trouble breathing deeply, shivers running down his spine as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over his head. Everything within him told him to get away from her, but his rational self laughed. It was a child, and nothing more. "Are you lost?" He reached a hand towards her, hoping to show that he meant her no harm. That movement did get a response.  
  
The girl suddenly hissed at him, stepping back from his hand as if it was something dirty. "Oh, damn!" Will's back hit the counter as her hair moved away from her face as she moved. Now he could plainly see the jagged ends of the wound underneath her chin, the blood spilling down her neck and collarbone, soaking into the folds of her nightgown. That was the last thing he remembered seeing. His sudden leap backwards into the counter had knocked the pan from its precarious position over his head. The pan tumbled off the counter, and hit him in the temple with a hollow thud. He collapsed to the ground, blackness taking over his vision. But not before he saw her drag a finger across her throat and whisper to him. "A short drop and a sudden stop, pirate." His eyes shut, and he fell into an unconscious state.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh God! Will! Will, wake up!" A voice broke through the blackness where he'd been for who knew how long. With a lot of effort, he opened his eyes. At first, he could see nothing but blurry shapes above his head, moving in and out. Slowly, they started to come back into focus. "Will?" He lifted one hand a few inches off the floor, before it dropped back to the ground.  
  
"What...? Oww." He groaned. His back was against something cold, and he realized he was lying on the kitchen floor. He shut his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. Elizabeth leaned over him, her hands on his shoulders and a look of relief on her face.  
  
"You're alright. Thank God." She laid her head against his chest. He raised a hand, carefully touching his fingers to the side of his head as another person appeared in his field of vision.  
  
"Gave the missus quite a scare, mate." If he hadn't been so damn dizzy, he would have jumped up and hugged his old friend. Instead, he settled for a laugh.  
  
"Jack Sparrow. Haven't seen you since you decided to fall from the cliff." He said, grinning. Jack stood over him, arms crossed. He hadn't changed a bit from the pirate Will remembered. The beaded dreadlocks still hung down around his face, and when he smirked at Will's comment, he could see the flash of metal.  
  
"What the hell have ye been doin', whelp? I go through all the trouble to sneak here to congratulate you on yer marriage, and come in to find you knocked out on the floor. If I were you, Elizabeth, I wouldn't leave him alone. Lad's too accident prone." Elizabeth sat up again, looking down at him with one eyebrow raised and her lips pursed.  
  
"I think you're right, Jack." She said. Will slowly sat up, which brought immediate regret. The kitchen spun around him, and he almost fell backwards again, if Jack and Elizabeth hadn't of each caught and arm and dragged him upright again. "Just lean against the counter, Will. Don't move too fast." She instructed him, getting to her feet. Jack crouched beside him as she disappeared.  
  
"What happened?" He asked, looking over Will with that calculating look of his. Will glanced at him for a moment, before looking back to the doorway. What was he supposed to tell them about what had happened? He started to recall what had happened before he'd been knocked out. The little girl, the blood, the message she'd left him with. His brow furrowed. There was no way he could tell them any of that without proof, unless he wanted to be deemed crazy. Instead he forced a sheepish smile across his face.  
  
"I wanted to make Elizabeth breakfast, so I came down here to make it. I set the pan on the edge of the counter, and accidentally dropped the...uh..." He glanced around. "...spoon...so I bent down to pick it up, knocked into the counter, and it got me good on the head." He laughed, although it sounded slightly strained to his own ears. Jack raised an eyebrow, and there was a look frighteningly similar to the one Elizabeth had had just moments ago.  
  
"You have to be one of the most accident prone people I have ever..." Jack stood up and moved aside as Elizabeth came back. She pressed the washcloth to the side of his head. Will shuddered slightly at the sudden chill from the cold cloth, but gave Elizabeth a smile and put his own hand on it. He closed his eyes, starting to feel the throbbing start to dissipate.  
  
"Nice house you have..." Jack muttered, walking off into the family room. "Although, it feels kind of off." Will opened his eyes, surprised.  
  
"Off? What do you mean, off?" Elizabeth asked, sitting on the floor beside Will. Jack returned to the kitchen.  
  
"Ye know. Doesn't quite have that warm, homey feel that most houses have." He said, making a few hand motions to accompany his argument.  
  
"And you would know this how? From the many that you and your crew have robbed?" Elizabeth quipped back. Jack flashed a grin, leaning up against the doorframe between the rooms. Will suddenly realized how much he'd missed Jack's presence.  
  
"We have an extra room, Jack. How about staying a couple of days?" Will asked, slowly getting to his feet. Elizabeth rose with him, holding onto his arm. "Catch up on stories and such?" Jack rested a finger against his chin, looking up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression on his face.  
  
"Ye know. I just might do that." He said finally. 


	3. Ghost in the Mirror

Elizabeth had offered to make breakfast, promising Will that he could make her breakfast in bed at another time. As she had turned to her task, Will and Jack had disappeared upstairs. The guest room was still cluttered, and it was clear that it was going to be a full day task just to get it clean enough for someone to sleep in it. Will retrieved his shirt from the bedroom, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. His head still ached from the blow by the frying pan, and more than likely if he looked in the mirror that night, there was going to be a fresh bruise there. He was still denying that he'd seen anything in the kitchen, that it had just been a product of his overactive imagination while unconscious. He got down on his knees, pulling one of the boxes towards him.  
  
Jack pulled off his coat, throwing it on a chair in the hallway before entering the room. "Ye know we could just dump all this stuff outside instead of going through it bit by bit..." He said and his tone made it clear that he didn't want to be sifting through someone else's junk if it wasn't going to profit him.  
  
Will opened the flap of the box. "It had to be done anyway. Besides, if you don't want to help me, you could always go help Elizabeth make breakfast." He muttered, sifting through the papers inside. It was mostly inane things, letters from relatives of the people who had lived in the house a few years back. Things he could easily throw away. After sifting through enough to find that there wasn't anything worth him keeping, he put the flaps back down and pushed it to the side to throw away later. Jack stood behind him, giving the option a moments thought before flopping down in a dusty arm chair in the corner of the room. A cloud of dust rose, and he coughed, waving a hand in front of his face to clear it away. Will shook his head, chuckling slightly to himself.  
  
"You're in a pretty good mood for someone who dropped a frying pan on his head." Jack muttered, settling into the chair and kicking his feet up on a box, clasping his hands on his stomach.  
  
"What can I say Jack? Maybe you put me in a good mood." He joked as he pulled another box forward. Flipping open the lid, he found a sketch on top, most likely of the last family to occupy the house. His heart skipped a beat as he looked down at the paper. There were four people drawn on the yellowed paper. The man looked like a British Officer; his chin held up high and seemed to have this air of importance about him that Norrington so often seemed to exude. Next to him, the woman stared straight whoever had been doing the drawing. Her hand rested lightly on the arm of the man Will assumed was her husband. In front of them stood two kids, a young girl and her brother. His hands shook slightly as he gazed at the paper. The wife and the daughter, he'd seen them both in the house. Their first night there, and then this morning...  
  
Will dropped the page as if it had been lit on fire, closing the box up in a hurry and sliding it to the doorway. He wanted to go through that later, figure out why these people that he had never seen before were suddenly appearing at different moments. Jack had grown bored with the whole business, idly inspecting his fingernails as Will went through the various boxes.  
  
"Nice house you got here." He said finally, in an attempt to bring noise to the room other than Will moving boxes around. "I didn't think a blacksmith's apprentice made enough money for fancy house like this." A smirk crossed his face, his tone making it clear that he was wondering if Will had finally indulged in his pirate roots. Will stopped looking through the box of papers and glanced up at him.  
  
"I'm not a pirate." He said dryly, continuing the search. Again, it was more of the same things; newspapers from other parts of the British Empire, and letters from friends and family. He kicked the box aside and pulled the next one over to him. "I finally finished my apprenticeship and I'm not considered a master of the craft." He pulled the box open. "Brings in a little bit more money than what I used to make."  
  
"Which was next to nothing." Jack supplied. "That's no way to live, mate. But still, even a salary like that couldn't pay for a nice house like this."  
  
"It was inexpensive. Nobody has wanted this house for years, after the attack on Port Royal the night after I was rescued. I was told that some murders were committed here that night. After that, people tried to live here but found the house so uninviting they put it back up to be sold again. When I offered them a price I could afford, they surprised me by taking it. Thus we have a house." He pulled the box open to find clothes. More specifically, the uniform of a commodore. Jack got up from his seat, grabbing the blue jacket from the box and pulling it on. Will couldn't help his laughter at the comical sight Jack created. A pirate in a commodore's coat. Jack straightened the collar, holding the lapels in his hand and turned to Will.  
  
"How do I look?" He asked with an amused grin on his face. Will waved a hand at him to wait until he could talk without bursting into laughter again. The memories of the morning and the night before were pushed from his mind.  
  
"I'm sorry, commodore, but you don't match well." Will finally replied, getting a hold of himself. Jack held up his hands in a gesture for Will to wait a moment, and grabbed the hat from the box. He set it on his head, striking a pose.  
  
"Aye, what about now?" Will couldn't respond, on the ground laughing so hard that his stomach hurt and his injured head throbbed, but he couldn't stop. Jack turned to look back in the mirror. "Bloody pompous hat." He mused, taking it off and setting it down on Will's head. "More your style than mine anyway." He pulled off the coat and threw it back in the box. "Alright, I'm intrigued. Might be something in here worth me light fingering." He sat down next to Will, who had finally calmed down enough to sit up, and pulled another box towards him. Flipping open the lid, he wiggled his fingers. "Let's see what we have in here then."  
  
A few hours later, Elizabeth found the two in the room, still scrounging through boxes. At this point, the pockets on Jack's coat were nearly bursting at the seams with all the little trinkets he'd found that might be worth something. Her first reaction was to laugh at the hat still sitting on Will's head, too big for him as it nearly slid down over his eyes. He heard her musical laugh and glanced up, an amused smirk on his face. Jack looked up as well, in the process of slipping something silver into his pockets.  
  
"I brought you a light lunch." Elizabeth told them, setting the trey down on the ottoman for the old armchair. "Just some bread, meat, and cheese and water to wash it down." Her eyes went to the full length mirror that Jack had been mugging in front of earlier. She checked out her reflection, before trailing her fingers down the wood. "This is beautiful. Can we put it in the bedroom?" She asked Will as her gaze traveled over it.  
  
"I don't see why not." Will said, pushing another box aside. "As soon as we clear the things away from it, Jack and I can take it into our bedroom."  
  
"You can take it into yer own bedroom. I'm not slave labor." Jack groused, throwing aside another box for one that looked more promising of riches. Will rolled his eyes, before smiling at Elizabeth.  
  
"Absolutely. I'll have the mirror in there tonight." She checked her appearance one more time and walked towards the door. On the way there, she stopped long enough to kiss Will on the forehead. Jack got to his feet, as did Will, and both men pulled up a box to sit on as they ate lunch.  
  
"Ye know what makes a good lunch?"  
  
"Let me guess. Rum?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow as he chewed on a piece of cheese. Jack didn't say a word, but pointed at him instead to say that he was right. The remainder of lunch time was spent on idle talk; how the Pearl was, how Ana and Gibbs were, Jack's recent voyages and pillages. He in turn questioned Will about the business at the blacksmith shop and such. After the food was finished and the drinks drained, they both returned to work. Jack kicked the last of the boxes away, moving to one side of the mirror as Will moved to the other. "On the count of three. One, two, three..." They lifted the heavy mirror, and Will backed towards the door with Jack following. A few moments, curses, and bumped shins later, they'd gotten it settled in the bedroom. Both men moved away, dusting off their hands. "Well, that's a job well...done..." Jack's voice trailed off, and Will looked up from wiping his dirty hands on his pants. He stopped as he saw what Jack was looking at as well.  
  
In the time between moving it from the guest room to their bedroom, a two crudely drawn black noose had appeared on the mirror, and at the angle Jack and Will were standing, it looked as if their own heads were in it. They both stared mutely at it for a moment, before Will turned towards the door, calling for Elizabeth. She came soon after, entering the room.  
  
"What? What is it?" Will pointed shakily towards the mirror. She glanced towards it. "Oh...it looks wonderful! Thank you both for moving it for me." She kissed her husband on the cheek.  
  
"But...but there's something on it." Will's voice was shaky. She scrutinized it, finding a small mark on the edge of the rounded surface.  
  
"No one will notice, Will. Don't worry about it." Jack shook his head as Will went to say something else. No use in making Elizabeth think they were crazy if she didn't see it herself. She turned back towards them. "You two don't look so well. It's most likely from being trapped in that room all day with all that dust. Why don't you go downstairs and take a break?" She suggested as she swept out of the room.  
  
Jack shook his head. "I've been told I'm insane, but this is just..." Will looked back at the mirror, the two nooses still there.  
  
"This isn't the first time." He confided. Jack raised an eyebrow. "Last night, before Elizabeth and I...I saw a woman in her place, from the picture I found earlier today. She called a dirty pirate. Then this morning, I saw the daughter standing in the doorway. She said something about a short drop and a sudden stop." He swallowed, glancing over at the noose with a sense of growing dread. "Both of them were obviously dead. I seriously doubt people walk around covered in blood."  
  
Jack uttered an oath, shaking his head. "Nice choice on the house, William."  
  
"We can't tell Elizabeth. This sounds too insane still, even to me. I've seen them."  
  
"This is interesting. You live in a bloody haunted house." Jack said, before heading towards the door. "Should make for an interesting night, eh?" He shot over his shoulder before he left the bedroom, his usual smirk still on his face. Will wished he could be as confidant as Jack was about all this. He knew he had to find a way to stop this, or he would never find peace in the house. Following Jack back to the room, he searched for the old sketch among the boxes they'd gone through. When he found it, he folded it up and tucked it in his pocket.  
  
There were some questions that needed to be asked. 


	4. Posessed

"I'll be back later!" Will called to Elizabeth from the front hall as he pulled on his coat. Jack leaned against the wall, one hand idly rubbing his arm. Both he and Will were still slightly jumpy about what they had seen in the mirror, and neither one wanted to let Elizabeth in on it. Will felt a little bit better leaving Jack behind in the house with Elizabeth, just in case. He put a hand on the doorknob, looking back at Jack. "I'm going to talk with the notary." He whispered. "The man is the biggest gossip in town. If anyone would know the details of what happened here, he would." He pulled the door open. "I'm getting to the bottom of this."  
  
Jack nodded. "Ye go do that and I'll watch the little lass for ye, make sure the spooks don't decide to cause trouble." He muttered. Will gave him a grateful look before he pulled the door shut. He walked down the pathway, stopping for a moment to look back at the house. A few weeks ago, he'd stood in the same place, grinning widely and finalizing the deal on the house he and Elizabeth would call home. Now it only sent shivers down his spine, despite the warm weather and the coat he was wearing. Running a hand through his hair, he went to leave when he glanced back up at the house again, to the attic window. There was the source of his shudder. A little boy peered out at him, but the longer Will stared, the more he faded until he was gone. The blacksmith swallowed, turning his back to the house and walking away quickly.  
  
"House is bloody haunted." He muttered. "There isn't supposed to be any such things as ghosts." He paused. "There isn't supposed to be any such things as undead pirates either." He said finally. The sketch was still clutched tightly in his hand, and he glanced down at it. His eyes roamed over the people staring blankly up at him from the page. _What are you trying to tell me?_   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack watched the door shut and pushed away from the wall, wandering into the sitting room. Elizabeth was outside doing the wash, which Jack wanted no part in. Not that he wanted to stand around in a haunted house either. He walked over to the piano sitting in the corner of the room. With one finger, he pressed down on a key, getting an off pitch note. Idly he kept pressing keys in a chaotic symphony of sound.   
  
"Jack, is that you?" The voice drifted inside through the open door. Jack pulled his hand back from the piano, not answering. He knew Elizabeth was most likely out there rolling her eyes at him, but he was bored. Jack turned to go across the hall, wondering if there was something better for him to do over there.  
  
The sight before him made him jump back into the piano, smashing down a good number of the keys at once and making a horrendous noise. The little boy cocked his head, staring blankly at him. Jack slipped off the keys and sat heavily on the bench, staring at the child. The boy was pale, and his stomach was covered in dark red blood. His expression darkened as he looked Jack over.  
  
"Shoo..." Jack muttered, staring back at the kid. "Ye heard me. Move along!" He made a shooing motion with his hand. "I hear there's a lovely mansion up on the hill for ye to go haunt." The child made no movement, still staring at him in that way that made his blood run cold.  
  
"Pirate..." He hissed. "You're nothing but a dirty pirate." Jack glowered at him.   
  
"Now wait just a damn..." His spine tingled and he turned to jerk his hand from the keys just as the cover came crashing down over them. Four of his fingers were lucky. The pink, however, was not. Jack slapped a hand over his mouth as the cover came down on it and there was a loud snapping sound. The boy laughed. "Ye find this funny?" Jack growled. Ghost or not, he was still very angry and in a good amount of pain. That made him very cranky.  
  
The boy nodded. "And this is just the beginning..." All Jack did was blink, and the boy was gone. Carefully the pirate pushed the cover up when Elizabeth came rushing into the room.  
  
"What was...Jack?" She ran to him, taking his injured hand. "This is why you shouldn't play around with the piano."  
  
Jack gave her a deadpan look, not exactly taking a liking to being talked to like a child. "I wasn't. I was sittin' here, mindin' me own business and..." He couldn't tell her about the ghost. "...the piano doesn't like pirates." He said finally. She raised an eyebrow, and he stared at her with the expression of a petulant little boy on his face.  
  
She sighed. "Fine. I'll have to make you a splint, because we obviously can't take you to the doctor considering how well known you are..."  
  
Jack grinned. "Of course not. I'm Jack Sparrow, luv. I'm known everywhere." She rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the wrist.  
  
"Come Captain Sparrow, let's get you doctored up."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"William! So there's the new husband!" Notary Andrews cried, getting up from his desk and ambling over to the boy. He grabbed Will's hand and patted him on the back. "So how is the married life?"  
  
Will grinned, his cheeks slightly tinged with red. "It's bliss." He said. "I have a beautiful loving wife, and I couldn't ask for anymore than a blessing like that." Andrews chuckled, letting go of his hand and heading back to his desk.  
  
"So what brings you here, lad?" He asked, sitting down in his chair. Will came over to stand beside the desk, laying the sketch down in front of Andrews. Andrews slipped his glasses on, scrutinizing the picture.  
  
"Who are they?" Will asked.  
  
"The Donner family. Lived in that house before you did. Sad really." Will perked up slightly.  
  
"Sad? Why?" Andrews motioned for him to grab a chair. He waited until Will was seated to start his story.   
  
"Andrew Donner was the commodore here before Haskell and Norrington." He said, pointing towards the man. "In fact, he and Norrington are a lot alike. Both men devoted to their jobs, intelligent, honest. Andrew Donner, however, was absolutely obsessed with catching pirates. It was his goal to rid the Caribbean seas of the rogues, he said. His wife Mary supported him all the way. He even had his children, Christina and Henry, thinking that way." Andrews was so into his story that he missed Will's nervous fidgeting. "Then one night, Port Royal is attacked by pirates. Actually..." He tapped a finger on his chin. "...I believe that was the night you were brought to Port Royal, William." He waved a hand. "Back to the story. The pirates attacked. They burned, looted, pillaged, plundered, almost razed Port Royal to the bloody ground."  
  
"Like the last time?" Will asked. Andrews shook his head.  
  
"Much, much worse. After it was over, Captain Norrington heads over to the house to get the commodore. He's dead. So is his wife and children. The pirates got 'em." He shook his head. "The town was crushed. Andrew Donner was a good man. Did you know one time he ran up against the infamous Jack Sparrow and Bootstrap Bill Tur..." He stopped, realizing who he was talking to. Will hated it when people suddenly started acting funny around him when they remembered he had a pirate heritage. He pushed himself up from his seat, taking back the sketch and stuffing it in his pocket.  
  
"Thank you, Notary Andrews." He said, forcing a smile on his face. The man quickly nodded, acting like he was suddenly engrossed in his work. Will frowned, heading over to the door. He opened it, and then paused, looking back over his shoulder. Notary Andrews quickly glanced back down at his work, scribbling away. Will bit his lip and pulled the door shut behind him. There would be time to deal with the close mindedness of people later. For now, he had to get home and talk to Jack. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Jack looked down at his swollen pinky and made a face as he tried to wiggle it. He was rewarded with pain shooting up his hand. "Bloody hell..." He murmured, stopping all attempts to move it.  
  
"Stop it, Jack. You'll only make it worse." Elizabeth told him as she came over and sat at the table, placing some white linen bandages on top of the table. Jack looked over at them.   
  
"It's broken, not bleedin'..." He said.  
  
"I know. I'm making a splint." She said, laying his hand out the way she wanted it and picking up one of the strips of cloth. She slid it under his pinky and ring finger carefully and began wrapping it around the two. "You are the most accident prone pirate I have ever seen..." She said, shaking her head.  
  
"I'm not accident prone." Jack protested. "This wasn't an..." He stopped. "...accident prone thing. It was fate happening."  
  
"You were fated to break your pinky finger?"  
  
He knew he'd sound more insane if he told her the real way his finger had been broken, so he nodded. "Aye." He held Elizabeth's dubious stare until she got up from the table. He lifted his hand up, looking at the homemade splint. "This'll do just fine..." He said. "Hey luv, while yer up, how about a drink?" Jack grinned one of his most charming grins at her.   
  
"Why don't you get it yourself, you miserable pirate. You've taken everything else." Jack's smile faded, and he blinked. Elizabeth's tone had never been that harsh before. He got up from the table and walked towards her.  
  
"Ye ok?" He put a hand on her shoulder. "I was only jokin' about the drink, I can get it me..." Jack pulled his hand back just in time to avoid having his fingers lopped off by the knife Elizabeth held. He stumbled backwards in shock. "What the hell do ye think yer doin'?" He yelled.   
  
"Dirty pirate, you won't take me!" Elizabeth shouted and lunged for him, knife in hand. Jack dove away from her, falling into the cupboard door. Elizabeth turned towards him. "I'll die before you let me!"  
  
Jack held up his hands. "Wait a bloody moment..." He trailed off as he locked eyes with her. "Yer not Elizabeth at the moment, are ye?"   
  
His only response was another attack with the knife.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Will had let his mind drift off into thought as he walked back across town. He now saw why he'd gotten the house so cheap. It was haunted. He'd bought Elizabeth a haunted house. Will made a fist inside his coat pocket. _Bloody brilliant move, Will. Bloody brilliant._ He was too busy kicking himself to notice the person standing in front of him until he bumped into them.  
  
"I'm so sorry...Commodore?" Will said. James Norrington smiled back in reply.  
  
"It's fine." Many people had found it hard to believe that after the incident with Jack Sparrow, and Elizabeth choosing Will, that the two men could possibly be friends. But they were, and good ones at that. He fell into step beside the blacksmith. "I thought the shop was closed today." He commented.  
  
Will shook his head. "It is. I just had to go talk to the notary." He replied.  
  
"The notary? Is there a problem with something?"  
  
Will laughed and shook his head. "No, no. I just need to ask him about the previous owners of the house." James made an expression of understanding.  
  
"Did you find out what you needed to?" He inquired.  
  
"I did. A little more than I wanted to, but I did. Apparently our house used to belong to the commodore before you came to Port Royal. Died in the attack the night I was brought here."   
  
"I do remember something about that. Horrible murders, if I remember correctly, because the invading pirates murdered his wife and children as well."   
  
"That's how the story goes." Will made a face. He walked up the path to the house. He paused slightly. He wanted to invite James in for lunch, but if he saw Jack there, Will wasn't quite sure what would happen. He decided to risk it, have Jack hide somewhere else for a while. "James, would you like to stay for lunch? Elizabeth is always happy to set out a plate for one more."  
  
"I would like that." Norrington said, following Will up the pathway. "Thank you."  
  
"Not a problem." He opened the door, stepping in. "Elizabeth, we have..." His eyes went wide as he saw Jack come barreling straight at him.  
  
"WILL!!!!" Will had never actually seen Jack truly afraid, and he was wondering what would have him running. But he didn't have long to wonder as Jack was unable to stop his momentum and slammed into Will and Norrington. The impact alone sent them flying through the doors into the sitting room. Jack crashed into the couch, Will fell backwards over the coffee table, and James hit the floor.  
  
"Jack, what's going on?" Will said as he struggled to get up from the floor.  
  
Jack pointed towards the doorway. "HER! She's tryin' to kill me!" Will spun around to see Elizabeth standing there, her hands behind her back.  
  
"Um, Jack...have you lost it completely?" Will asked, looking towards his friend in concern. James pointed at Jack.  
  
"What is he doing here?"  
  
"I'm a house guest. What are you doing here?" Jack responded. Will shook his head at the bickering between pirate and commodore and looked over at Elizabeth.  
  
"What happened?" He asked as he went over to her. She smiled at him.  
  
"Jack and I were just having some fun..." She said, looking up at him with blue eyes. _Wait, __Elizabeth__ has brown eyes....damn it!_ Will jumped back just in time to avoid the swipe of the knife, knocking James back into the chair again and falling on top of him this time. Jack sprinted off the couch.   
  
"See? I told ye!" He shouted. Will got up off James and helped him to his feet. Elizabeth, or whoever she was at the moment, glared at Jack.  
  
"Shut up!" She snapped. Her eyes went to Will. "You pirates are all the same." Will's throat suddenly went dry.  
  
"Mary..." He said. She turned towards him.   
  
"Don't you dare say my name." She pointed the knife at him.   
  
Will approached her. "That's your name, right? Mary Donner..." He dodged a swipe, the knife catching the fabric of his shirt and tearing it. "Please, let go of my wife." He pleaded with her. James edged up beside him.  
  
"What is going on?"  
  
"My wife is possessed by one of four people currently haunting this house who hate pirates." Will said.  
  
"Oh..." He turned back to Mary. "Please, listen to the boy."  
  
She pointed at him with the knife. "Why do you care for their kind?" She hissed. With her attention on James, Will started inching towards her.  
  
"William is a friend of mine." James said, trying to keep her attention. "He's not actually a pirate...he's a blacksmith, and a very good one at that. He makes many swords." If time hadn't been of the essence, Will would've stopped to marvel at the site of the commodore actually rambling on. Jack moved as well, sliding behind Will in case she attacked.   
  
Will reached for her quickly. She swung the blade at him when he grabbed her arms, but Jack used a nearby candlestick to block the swing. Will pulled her forward, his lips meeting hers. For a moment, she struggled. Then her body slowly relaxed, and she melted into his kiss. Elizabeth was back. Will pulled back from her, scrutinizing her to see if this was some kind of trick. She smiled up at him.  
  
"What was that for?" She asked, playing with the buttons on his shirt.  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"Remember what?" She blinked, looking around the room. "When did James get here? I'm sorry, Commodore." She glanced back to Will. "Did something happen?"  
  
Will glanced from the confused James to the nervous Jack, then back to her. "You might say that..."


	5. Sightings

Will had led Elizabeth into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. James had gone to the stove, boiling water for tea. Jack had preferred to retreat back to his room to stay away from James. Will sat down beside Elizabeth, placing one hand on hers. She stared at him, looking suspicious.

"William, what's going on?" She asked him. He glanced down at the table, not quite sure how to explain this to him without sounding insane.

"Elizabeth, our house is haunted." He said finally, looking up to meet her gaze. She frowned, as if she believed he was joking with her. At one point she probably would have brushed it off completely, but facing undead pirates had her thinking a little differently now. She stayed quiet, wondering what to say to him.

"Surely you must be joking." She said finally, smiling at him. The smile disappeared as he pulled the sketch out of his pocket and slid it across the table to her. She looked down on the family, then back at Will. "What is this?"

He tapped a finger on it. "The night I was brought to Port Royal, there was an attack by pirates." Elizabeth nodded, remembering hearing about that. Will pointed to the man. "This is Commodore Andrew Donner. He and his family lived here before us. The night of the attack…" He took a deep breath. "…they were brutally murdered by pirates." Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"I remembered that! I'd seen Commodore Donner on a few occasions when I went with my father down to the fort, but I didn't know that he lived here…" She trailed off. "Are you trying to tell me that the house is haunted by the commodore and his family?" Will nodded.

"I've seen the daughter and the wife so far." He told her. Elizabeth looked thoughtful.

"I think Jack might've seen someone when his fingers got slammed in the piano." She said. James set a cup of tea in front of her. She picked it up and took a sip. "Thank you, James."

"That's why you and I were…why I had a rash moment. Mary Donner had taken over your body and I needed a way to bring you back." Elizabeth's eyes widened as she gazed over the rim of the cup at him.

"William, if what you're saying is true, this is serious." She said quietly. He nodded.

"I know. That's why you need to go spend the night at your father's mansion tonight while I sort this out."

She glared at him. "I'm staying here and helping you." She insisted. He shook his head.

"No, I can't do what I need to do when you're in danger." He held her hand between his. "Please, Elizabeth, for your own safety." He asked her. She looked hesitant, before casting her eyes down to the table.

"I will." She told him. "Just promise me you'll stay safe."

He nodded. "I promise."

James stood in the doorway, waiting for Elizabeth to come downstairs. "Are you sure about this?" He asked Will quietly. Will nodded, glancing towards the stairs then back at the commodore.

"As long as she stays here, she's in danger." He said quietly. "This way, Jack and I can get to the root of the problem and hopefully fix it." He caught the look on James' face as he mentioned Jack. Pirate and commodore did not like each other, and James was not happy about Jack just sauntering in to Port Royal under his watch. Will made a mental note to get Jack out of the town as fast as possible after this was all over. He did understand that Norrington had a job to do, and the law to keep, and he wasn't helping by harboring Jack.

Elizabeth came downstairs slowly, her arms crossed across her chest and a downcast expression on her face. She hated leaving Will behind in this house after the incidents he had told her about. She still couldn't quite believe that the house itself was haunted. But he had sworn on his life that it was, and she believed him, if not the story itself. As she approached him, she looked up. Her arms wrapped around his middle and she laid her head against his chest.

"Be safe, William." She told him quietly. He kissed her forehead and hugged her as well.

"I will. As soon as we figure this out, I'll send for you." He told her. She'd already protested many a time that she could help out, but he didn't want her put in danger. Elizabeth drew back from him. Her eyes lingered on his for a moment before she turned and walked out the door. He stood in the doorway, watching, until the carriage had turned the corner of the street and had gone out of sight. He shut the door and turned to face Jack, who had quietly come downstairs.

"We need to talk." He told the pirate captain. "Notary Andrews said that you and my father met Commodore Donner before."

"We did. Didn't recognize him from the sketch though." Jack said, leaning against the wall and inspecting his fingernails. "Ran across him when we were looting a house on the outskirts of town. He seemed to take offense to that and started shootin'. William took one in the leg, but we escaped. But not before taking out a few of his men." Will found it hard to picture his father killing someone, but then reminded himself that he was a pirate, even if he was a good man as well. "Nothing noteworthy." Jack muttered. "Although he swore that he would wipe us and our kind out of the Caribbean."

"I don't think that's something worth skipping the supposed afterlife for." Will told him, looking deep in thought. "I think that the attack is just aimed at pirate blood in general because of the attack that night. You, of course, Donner would recognize. Maybe he thinks I'm my father." He mused. "Either way, they don't want us here, and we don't want them here. Looks like one group is going to have to leave." He glanced up at Jack, determined. "It's going to be those who no longer have need for a house."

Jack smirked at him. "That's the way, Will." He pushed himself away from the wall. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I haven't eaten yet today." He said as he walked towards the kitchen. Will shook his head and walked into the sitting room. Everything was quiet and still. No objects moving on their own, no bloody ghosts appearing to make comments about pirates. Nothing. He walked over and sat down in the chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. There wasn't exactly a set way to go about this. He only knew from what he'd read in books that he'd found here and there over the years. A priest could supposedly do an exorcism on the house, but Will didn't want to go there yet. He wondered if a price came attached to it. Maybe if he and Jack could find someway to appease them, to strike a deal with them, then they'd go away.

"Hardly, boy." The venom filled voice spat from behind him. Will shot out of the chair, whirling around. Commodore Donner stared at him in utter hatred. "You think that you can come into this house and desecrate it with your presence, and that we would leave?" He snarled, stalking towards the blacksmith. Will backed up, not quite sure why he was running from a ghost. It couldn't hurt him…could it? The ghost continued to close in on him. He was pale, blood running from the hole in his forehead. Disgust fought with fear inside Will.

"I'm not a pirate." He said strongly as he bumped into a footstool and fell backwards over it onto the ground. He scrambled to his feet again.

"Not a pirate?" He laughed. "I can read you like an open book, boy. You are a pirate, by blood and by actions."

Will shook his head. "I did what I did only to save my wife. Wouldn't you do the same for yours when you were alive?" He said slowly, backing up. The door to the hallway was very close.

"Mark my words, if you stay in this place, things will get worse."

"Worse than your wife possessing mine? Having her almost stab my best friend? Your daughter and son scaring the hell out of us?" Will snapped back bitterly. "Find eternal rest and leave us alone!" He was angry now, reaching for the door. But he got no answer. He turned to find that Donner's ghost had disappeared, leaving him alone in the room. He took a deep breath, leaning against the door to calm his shaky nerves. It would make sense if he just asked for his money back and looked for another house for Elizabeth and him. But he'd never be able to find another house like this for her. The rest that he had looked at had been shabby and nearly unlivable in. He couldn't do that to her.

Will yanked open the door, walking across the hallway and into the kitchen. Jack glanced up at him from the kitchen counter, where apparently he hadn't hesitated to make himself at home. Will hadn't even known they'd had that much food around. He walked over, leaning against the counter and picking up an apple. He held it in his hands, rolling it over and over.

"Look like ye've seen a ghost." Jack commented dryly.

"Commodore Donner paid me a visit." Will said, taking a bite out of the apple. "We're in for a fight, Jack. He doesn't want to give it up, and neither am I." He chewed in silence, letting his thoughts take over. Jack didn't say a word either, picking through the food he'd found.

"There has to be someway to put them at rest, besides getting ourselves killed." Will said, dropping the apple on the counter.

"Well, there has to be somethin' keepin' them here bound to this house. Maybe we have to find it and destroy it or somethin'." The pirate captain said around a mouthful of bread.

"That could be anywhere. This is a big house." Will said.

Jack pointed at him. "Exactly. So tomorrow we go to the top and search all the way down till we find somethin'."

Will nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

There were no more ghostly appearances that evening and into the night. Will even found that he was able to fall asleep for a while before his dry throat woke him up. He got out of bed, padding out the door and downstairs to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass, he poured himself some water from the pitcher on the table and sat down at the kitchen table. The empty bed when he'd woken up had been somewhat disconcerting. He missed Elizabeth dearly, and hoped that they found a solution to the haunting soon.

Somewhere behind him, there was a creak. Will turned, glancing around. "Jack?" He called. There was no answer. He got to his feet, slowly padding along the floor. "Is someone there?" He knew that it was a stupid question. If someone was there, they obviously didn't want it to be known that they were. He walked into the sitting room. There was nothing there.

"Right. Back to bed." He muttered, backing towards the door. His foot hit something dark and warm, making him look down. All he saw was a dark stain covering the floor. Kneeling down, he dragged a finger in it and held it up to the shaft of moonlight. He sucked in a breath as he saw that the color was dark red. The color of blood. Will stood up quickly, slipping in the puddle. He grabbed hold of the candelabra on the wall to steady himself. Will shut his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"It's not real. It can't be real." He repeated to himself, and opened his eyes. He really wished he hadn't. Somehow he was no longer even in the house, but standing on a platform over looking a crowd. His hands were tied behind his back, and a noose hung limply around his neck. Whispers raced through the crowd, fingers pointed at him. One word was heard over and over again. _Pirate. He's a pirate._

"Ready to meet your maker, William?" Will's head snapped to the side, eyes widening as he saw a very alive Commodore Andrew Donner staring back at him, hand resting on the lever.

"No." Will looked back out at the crowd. "I've done nothing wrong. You can't do this to me!" He shouted, and the whispers grew louder, almost deafening.

"But I can. Pirates deserve to die. Don't worry; you won't be the only one. Soon Jack Sparrow will join you." With a smirk, he pulled the lever and the floor beneath Will dropped.

Jack shifted in bed, unable to sleep for some unknown reason. He sat up, pushing the sheets away. Maybe the Turners had some alcohol with which he could indulge himself and fall asleep faster. Sliding out of bed, Jack padded across the floor and out the door. He headed for the stairs when he heard a strange sound. It sounded like a person struggling for breath, very similar to the sounds he had made when they had attempted to hang him. He paused, listening for the source of the noise. It seemed to be coming from behind him, down the hallway near Will and Elizabeth's room. He turned, walking quietly down the hall to the door. The sounds had grown louder and Jack shoved open the door.

Will was lying in bed, gasping for breath. The sheets had been kicked off onto the floor as he struggled with some unseen force. Jack rushed over to the bed, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "William, wake up!" He bellowed. The younger man was still gasping for breath, hands gripping the sheets tightly. It was almost as if some invisible force had wrapped its hands around his throat. "Bloody hell, William, wake up!" His only response was a gasp for breath.

Jack got up off the bed and sprinted downstairs. He grabbed the bucket and ran outside, looking for somewhere to draw water from. A few minutes later, he returned with the full bucket and sprinted upstairs. His heartbeat quickened when he didn't hear anything. When he sprinted in the door, Will was lying still on the bed, head turned away from Jack. He showed no signs of life, his chest not even moving to show that he was breathing. The pirate cursed and threw the bucket of water onto him. There was still no movement. Jack dropped the bucket and lunged for Will again. He shook him furiously. "It was a dream! Wake up!" He raised one hand, bringing it down in a stinging blow across Will's cheek. He waited.

A few moments after the slap, Will coughed, gasping for breath and finally being able to draw in breath. Jack rubbed his back. "Breathe in." He told him, waiting till the blacksmith was breathing normally again before asking him questions. "What happened?"

Will pushed the wet hair from his face, sitting up. "I thought I was awake. I went downstairs to get a glass of water, and I heard a noise in the sitting room. When I went to investigate, there was blood on the floor. Then I blinked and I was standing on the platform, waiting to be hung with Andrew Donner standing beside me. He pulled the lever…" Will reached up and touched his neck, wincing. His throat hurt from trying to breathe. In the pale moonlight, Jack could see the dark bruises starting to form.

He looked towards the window, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm sick of this." He growled. "We're takin' the fight to these ghosts. I don't know how, but this has to stop." He glanced back towards Will. "We're getting' this house back."


	6. Violence

The rest of the night had been less than pleasant. Afraid to be attacked again, both Will and Jack had forgone sleep and stayed up, talking, listening to the sounds outside, or pacing in their respective rooms. It was because of that lack of sleep that both of them could barely hold up their heads.

Jack looked up again as Will started to fall forward onto the table. He reached across quickly and stopped the young man; two fingers pressed into the middle of his forehead and gave him a shove back. Will jerked awake, blinking. "I wasn't sleeping…" He protested before stifling a yawn. Jack gave him a look before looking back down at the table. A knock at the door both made them start. Will got to his feet to go to the door, but before he could get to the door of the kitchen, they both heard the outdoor door open and shut. Will looked at Jack for a moment before slowly pushing open the door and glancing out into the hallway. He turned back towards Jack. "There was no one the…" He let out a surprised yelp and jumped back as a hand tapped him gently on the shoulder. He spun as he crashed into the table. His heat pounded against his chest, but he laughed when he saw who it was. "Elizabeth."

She gave him an amused look, setting down the basket to give him a hug. "Of course. Were you expecting someone else?" As she drew back, she caught sight of the marks on his neck. Her eyes widened. "Will, what happened?"

"Will had a little bit of a nighttime run in with the commodore last night. The dead one anyway. Tried to hang him." Jack explained. Will looked back to Elizabeth.

"And Jack woke me up."

She hugged him again, breathing a sigh of relief. "Will…maybe you should give up the house. It's not worth you getting injured or killed over." Elizabeth reached up and brushed a tendril of hair back from his face, tucking it behind his ear. "I'd rather live in some rundown house than lose you. You're my life." She put her head back down against his chest. He held her tightly. Jack grumbled something about not getting thanks and bit into an apple. The crunching sound made Elizabeth come to again. "Right! I brought you some breakfast." She said, picking up the basket and taking it over to the table. She opened it and pulled out a few packages. "There's bacon, and eggs, and I made some bread." She explained to them.

"That sounds great." Will told her. In all honesty, he was hungry and the food might help him stay awake. He disappeared into the kitchen, coming out with three plates. He laid one at the head of the table and motioned for Elizabeth to sit. Jack sat on her left and Will sat on her right. As soon as Will had passed the plate to Jack, the packages were torn open with gusto and everyone started helping themselves. There was barely a peep out of Jack and Will as they ate. Elizabeth watched the two of them.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to stay? I'm sure that there must be something I can do." Elizabeth said. Will shook his head.

"It's safer for you if you weren't here." He told her. She looked hurt at what he had said, but didn't protest. He was happy that she hadn't, as he felt bad enough already. Elizabeth got up from the table, pulling on her shawl again.

"I best leave you to your job then." She gave Will a sad smile and started out of the kitchen for the front door. Will got up and followed her into the hallway. He grabbed her arm gently and spun her around to meet him, his lips meeting hers. She returned the kiss, arms wrapping around his neck. After their moment was over, she pulled away and took a deep breath. "Be careful." She told him as she opened the door. He nodded. "And you too, Jack." Will turned, wondering when Jack had come out of the kitchen.

"Aye, I will. No ghosty is goin' to get the best of Captain Jack Sparrow." He said with a smirk. Elizabeth returned his smile, looked to Will one last time, and disappeared out the door. Will turned to Jack.

"Ready to get started? I'll take care of the dishes later." Jack looked up the stairs.

"Aye, let's go to it." He said and started up the stairs. The blacksmith followed behind him, looking over his shoulder. "What are we lookin' for?" Jack asked, stopping.

"I'm not quite sure. I guess anything unusual to start with." Will pushed past Jack and took the lead up to the second floor. He walked down the hallway, waiting for an idea or something of the like to hit him. "Come on. Show me something." He said quietly, looking around.

Jack pointed to the last room on the right, the only one he hadn't been in yet. "What's in there?"

"The old study. But I didn't see anything out of the ordinary when I looked through it the other day."

"Maybe you just weren't looking for the right thing." Jack said as he walked past Will again and pushing the door open. He disappeared inside, leaving the door open enough for Will to follow. After a moment's hesitation, Will followed him inside. The study still hadn't been cleaned yet, cobwebs and dust clinging to most of the surfaces. The walls were lined with bookshelves and there didn't seem to be any extra space for a single book more. A beautiful desk sat facing out the window. The dark green curtains hung heavily from the window, covered in dust. Paintings of a few select people hung on the wall, staring out at the occupants of the room with dark, cold, unfriendly eyes. Will suppressed a shudder and averted his eyes.

Jack didn't seem to feel their gazes as he moved towards the desk. He pulled the chair out and sat down. His next move was to open drawers and start pulling things out with all the finesse of a pirate. Papers went flying, landing on the dusty rug as he dug deeper, looking for something that might be of help. Unsure of what to do, Will started searching the bookshelves for anything that might've been a clue. He sorted through the books. Most of them were classics. There were a few that Will thought looked interesting and made a mental note to read after the house was no longer haunted. Jack pulled open another drawer and started searching through the papers.

A while later both of them had admitted defeat. Jack looked around at the papers spread all over the floor, then up at Will. "Well, it was fun anyway. Never liked the man." He leaned against the desk. Will leaned against the bookshelf, closing his eyes.

"I have no idea what I'm doing." He said. "It would almost seem more practical to sell the house and buy another." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. All the work to find a house for his beautiful wife, and he had to give it up. Jack shot him a dark look.

"I've had my fingers slammed in the piano and been assaulted by a ghost in your wife's body, not to mention that little trick with the mirror. You were strangled and who knows what else." Jack stared straight at him. "If I were you, I'd want payback." He said evenly.

"Against ghosts?"

"You've been up against cursed pirates, and ghosts cause you problems?" Jack got up. "We'll get our bloody revenge."

"You're just mad because a ghost has gotten you twice and you haven't had the chance for rebuttal." Will responded, joking with his old friend as he got to his feet. They headed out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen, where both men paused.

"Jack, you wouldn't know how to cook, would you?" Will asked weakly. Jack gave him a look.

"That's why the Pearl has her own cook. You're the civilian. Aren't you supposed to know these things?" Will only shook his head.

"I guess it's whatever's edible for us." Jack muttered and pulled open the pantry. In a few moments, everything edible without preparation was sitting on the counter. It wasn't much. Of course the best looking of the food was the fresh fruit that Elizabeth had brought with breakfast. There was a loaf of bread as well, and some cheese and meat. Jack sat on the counter, shining an apple on his shirt sleeve as Will cut a piece of bread from the loaf. Will suddenly stopped, looking up at Jack.

"What if the ghosts can't rest because there's something still here?" He asked. "Like the weapon used to kill them?"

Jack looked thoughtful. "After the pirate killed the commodore and his wife, he'd pillage the place, look for valuables that he could sell, or trade, or even use. The commodore was bound to have a better pistol than the pirate's own, so he'd leave his old one behind and take the commodore's own…" He shrugged, looking down at the apple. "Just a theory." He said before taking a bite.

"It certainly makes sense. Well, as much sense as ghosts can make." Will said, before taking a bite of the piece of bread in his hand. Jack nodded, chewing on the apple in silence. He made a face. The apple had to be one of the worst he'd ever tasted. It wasn't crunchy and juicy, but sour and mushy, just like the time the apples on the Pearl had been infested by…maggots. Jack spit out the apple into his hand, and his nose wrinkled up in disgust as he looked down on the small, white wiggling creatures. He jumped off the counter, dumping the handful into a dirty bowl before turning back to Will. "Any rum in the house? Or any water at least?" He asked. Will gave him a strange look, swallowing the bread.

"What's wrong?" Jack was about to explain until he saw the piece of bread Will was holding.

"Same thing that's wrong with your bread." Will looked down and yelled out, dropping the bread on the counter. He looked vaguely sick as he watched the same little invaders squirm in the bread, some only half from where he had cut the slice.

"I swallowed a piece." He groaned.

"They won't kill you. At least I don't think so. There have been times on the Pearl when supplies run low and the only thing we had left was the maggot infested food. But we usually picked the buggers out." Jack responded, watching them wiggle.

"That's disgusting." Will said. "They weren't there before. I swear it."

"I know they weren't." Jack muttered. "It's this damnable ho…WILL!" The next thing Will knew, Jack was slamming into him and they both hit the ground. The knife he had used to cut bread earlier slammed into the wall he had been standing in front of only a moment ago. Jack lay on the floor beside Will, who was staring up at the wobbling blade before looking over at the counter. Anything that had been left out, pots, pans, dishes, silverware, was floating in the air now. Both men climbed to their feet, staring. "We need to get out of here." Jack said.

"Aye." Was all the response Will could muster. Then all hell broke loose. Jack ducked as a pot came flying at him, slamming into the wall with a horrific clang. Will dove for the pantry, grabbing the child's play cutlass out. A cup flew in his direction and he swung out to knock it away. Both the glass and the flimsy toy broke, leaving him holding a small piece of wood and blocking his face as glass shards peppered him. Jack grabbed the pot off the floor and brought it up, letting the plate shatter against it. Slowly, fighting against the floating dinnerware, he made his way over to Will, who could only duck things. He grabbed the younger man by the arm, pulling him towards the doorway. Objects came faster and the two could only bat away so much before they started making contact. There were curses and grunts of pain as dishes made contact to knees and stomachs before Will lunged out the door into the living room. Jack followed behind him, slamming the door shut behind him. There were the muffled sounds of the flying arsenal bouncing off the door. Jack looked over at Will.

"I don't think I want to say here tonight." Jack muttered, just as a vase slammed into the wall by his head. All around them, various objects were beginning to float again, and this time he was dismayed to see that even the furniture in the living room was floating. Will didn't say anything as he took off for the hallway and the front door. Jack had always been able to talk himself out of a dangerous situation, but this time he didn't think there would be any reasoning. He followed after Will, wincing as furniture began scooting towards them. The arm chair slammed into him, and he fell into the seat. He rolled out just before the chair slammed into the wall. Will hopped over the footstool that flew at him, reaching the doorway. He twisted the knob and flew out into the hallway, Jack behind him.

There was no strange activity in the hallway. The silence was even more unnerving than the floating objects trying to kill them. Will opened the front and nearly fell out onto the doorstep. Jack slammed the door shut, leaning against it and taking a deep breath. "Well, that was fun." He muttered in a sarcastic tone. Will looked up at him, still trying to catch his breath.

"We can't go back in there. If need be, we can sleep in the shop tonight." Will said.

"But not back in there."


	7. Peace

Since Jack would not have been welcome to stay in the Governor's mansion, unlike Will, both men retreated to the small blacksmith shop. Neither one wanted to go back to that house at the moment, but sleep was needed and they had to find a safe place to do it. Most likely Brown was out drinking at some of Port Royal's establishments of lesser quality. He wouldn't be in until the afternoon most likely, which would give Jack and Will time to leave before he got there. As they passed under the sign and entered inside, Jack glanced over at Will.  
  
"Brown and Turner, eh?" He said with a smirk. "Finally made you a partner?" He walked down the cart that served as a stairway and headed over to the chair Brown usually occupied while sleeping off a night of drinking. The chair tilted back slightly, making a triangle with the wall. Jack put his arms behind his head, relaxing. Just being out of that house made him feel slightly less itchy than before. A good night's sleep would do the rest.  
  
"In a matter of speaking." Will responded. He moved aside things on the workbench and pulled himself up on it. Pulling off his coat, he folded it up and laid it on the bench. "It may say we're partners, but I still feel like the apprentice and the only person who works here." He lay down, resting his head on his coat. Jack stifled a yawn and stretched his arms. Will felt the oncoming sleep tugging at him, and at first resisted, but after he remembered that they were out of danger here, he let his eyes close. Not too long after, Jack fell asleep, hat pulled down over his eyes and hands folded on his stomach.  
  
-----------------  
  
It was the sunbeam from the sun rising out over the harbor that woke Jack up in the early morning hours. He grunted and raised a hand to his face, blocking out the rays before they blinded him. The door to the shop creaked and he glanced up to see Will trying to enter as quietly as possible. "Where did you go?" Jack asked, making Will turn quickly as if he'd been tapped on the shoulder in a dark alleyway. He got up from his seat, stretching his arms over his head and yawning. It wasn't a bad night's sleep for having to sleep upright in a chair, but then again, being a pirate he'd learned to adapt and get sleep where needed.  
  
"To talk to Commodore Norrington." Will said, heading back down the cart ramp. He paused at the bottom, scuffing the dirt floor with his shoe. "I wanted to hear it from him what he saw when he entered that house on the night of the pirate attack."  
  
"And?" Jack pressed. "Anything that could help us out?" Will looked apprehensive, biting his lip.  
  
"According to James, when he got there, there was a fire on the first floor, where the living room and the dining room are. He could see the bodies, but couldn't get to them through the wall of flames. By the time he had returned with others, the floor had collapsed in. Once the fire was put out, they searched for the bodies to bury, but with all the debris, it just proved to be more of a problem. So they assumed that the bodies had been incinerated in the fire. They were given a funeral, but there were no bodies to bury. About three months later, the bottom floor was rebuilt and the new owners moved in. They lasted only four weeks before demanding their money back on the place." Will explained to Jack, as a look of understanding crossed the pirate's face.  
  
"The bodies weren't turned to ashes." He said. "And when that portion of the house was rebuilt, it was built over the bodies. So it's not a weapon we're looking for, it's corpses." He made a face. "Personally, I'd rather be looking for a weapon." He muttered. Will nodded. "So that's what we're goin' to do? Dig up the floorboards until we find the family?" Jack wasn't particularly thrilled with that idea. He'd seen enough corpses in his lifetime, even made a few himself, but that didn't mean he intentionally wanted to go finding one, not to mention four of them. "The living room always did have a peculiar reek to it..." The pirate muttered finally. Will nodded.  
  
"So you'll help me?" He asked hopefully. "With two we should be able to get the job done quicker and watch each other's backs if the ghosts should try anything." Jack stared at him for a moment. He wasn't supposed to care about this, being a pirate and all. But William had been a very good friend to him, and if he could return the favor, this would be it.  
  
"Fine. Let's get this done so I can get back to my crew and ship."  
  
-----------------  
  
It was mid-afternoon when Jack and Will finally gathered up enough courage to return to the house. The prospect of being beaten by random objects throughout the house appealed to neither man, nor did they have any idea if the plan would work. What happened when they found the bodies? What would they do then?  
  
Will shot Jack a look as he twisted the doorknob and pushed, letting the door open on its own. Both stood ready, makeshift weapons/tools at the ready. But nothing happened. The house was silent, not even a creak heard. Jack had the courage to step into the house first, looking around. It was still in the same state of destruction that it had been in the day before. Will followed after him, footsteps echoing loudly through the house. Nothing moved.  
  
"That's more like it." Jack muttered, easing up slightly. He pushed open the door into the living room slowly, Will standing to his right. The room was completely silent, furniture thrown around. Will took a step inside, glancing around before looking back at Jack.  
  
"Do we start here?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Unless you have a better place to start?" Jack said and walked over to a place on the floor cleared of debris. He lifted the tool he'd grabbed from the shop and hefted it over his head.  
  
"Jack, wait! Don't break the...boards." Will shouted, but was too late as Jack swung down the board let out a sickening crack. He glanced over at Will.  
  
"I hope you're not suggesting taking the nails out one by one." He said, raising an eyebrow. Will opened his mouth to respond, but at first nothing would come out. Finally he sighed and stepped up to join Jack, rolling up his sleeves.  
  
"You can tell Elizabeth we won't be hosting any dinner parties for a while." He told Jack before pushing the crowbar he held down into the crack Jack had made and started pushing down. The board groaned and broke apart, one half coming loose from the floor. Jack grabbed a hold of it and threw it aside.  
  
"Well, we got our start. Let's hope there's something under here to be found." Jack muttered, staring down into the black hole in the floor.  
  
---------------  
  
Jack and Will stared down at the gaping hole in the floor, looking at all the broken, charred boards and ash lying beneath the floorboards. Will absentmindedly wiped his hand on his shirt as he stared into the hole.  
  
"Jack? What if the bodies are just ashes now?" Will asked, looking uncertain. He couldn't see anything that looked remotely like a body.  
  
"Then you're out of your house and your money." Jack replied bluntly, leaning against the chair. "So, I'll be guessing that since this is your house you'll be wanting to check that out first?" He pointed to the hole. "I'll stay up here and keep a sharp eye out for anything suspicious."  
  
"Pirates. Always taking the easy way out." Will said bitterly. Jack was taken back by his tone.  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, it's been a little too quiet around here. You think these ghosts would like us destroyin' the house when they don't even like the idea of us just bein' here in the first place?" Jack responded. Will looked at him through a few stray hairs that had escaped his ponytail. Jack suddenly felt very cold. "Will?" He asked. The boy's eyes were empty and cold as he took a step towards the pirate. Jack backed up around the chair. "Bloody hell...Donner! Let him go!" He snapped. "We're workin' on freein' your spirit and you're not helping!"  
  
The spirit possessing Will smirked, making Jack's blood run cold. The look on his face was one he never would have expected to see on Will's face. "There's nowhere left to run, pirate." Donner said easily as he hefted the crowbar, blocking Jack's escape route towards the door to the hallway. The dining room was blocked by the gaping hole they had made in the floor.  
  
"Wasn't going to run. I was actually trying to help the boy here get you out of his house. So if you'll just let him go, we'll get right to that." Jack said.  
  
"Shut up!" Jack winced slightly and gave the commodore a dirty look. "The only thing you will be doing is hanging in the gallows, Jack Sparrow."  
  
"Ah, so you do remember me." Jack said with a small smile. "I'm honored." He started sliding towards the door slowly, before breaking into a dead sprint.  
  
Suddenly Mary Donner appeared in front of him, making him come to a sudden halt and fall onto the couch. "Just where do you think you're going, Jack?" She asked, sweeping towards him. Jack made a face at the sight of her, bloodied and battered. "What's the matter? Don't like reminders of sins past?" She asked him, noticing his look.  
  
"I never would hurt a woman or child." Jack growled. "I may be a pirate, but I'm not a completely heartless bastard." He got to his feet, backing away from her and running into Donner again, still possessing Will.  
  
"A pirate is a pirate, a dirty man." Donner said, grabbing his arm. "And the only good pirate is a dead pirate." Jack pulled away from him and his foot slipped on the edge of the hole. He fell backwards, crashing into the pit and landing hard, creating a whirlwind of ash. He coughed harshly as the wind was knocked out of him. "Don't struggle, Jack. It won't help you." Jack shot him a dark look and sat up. His hand was stuck in something. He turned to find that a rib had torn through his shirt and was holding him fast. Jack yanked, trying to pull himself free. When that didn't work, he grabbed hold of another rib to use as leverage and...  
  
_The pirate stood over the four bodies lying on the floor around him, eyeing the valuables the place held. "And it's all mine." He licked his lips, hungry with greed and moved towards the table, picking up the silverware and stuffing it in his pockets. He would bring the best loot back to the ship tonight and he would be a rich man, rewarded well. Most of the house he had already been through, which was how he had found the woman still in bed. She would have made a fine prize too had she not been so stubborn. Her struggles had knocked over a lamp nearby, the fire already spreading like a plague through the house. He would need to be quick.  
  
He froze as he heard the sound of a pistol being cocked. "Put it down." The voice was strong and commanding, unlike the quavering ones of the men he often met when the pirates pillaged and plundered. He turned, smirking at the dark haired man standing in the doorway. Norrington did not look as amused. As a matter of fact, he looked sick, seeing the bodies lying on the floor and having no way to get to them as the wall of fire grew. The pirate laughed.  
  
"Can't do nothing here, can you?" He said. "I'll just be on my way then." He turned to grab his loot off the table when the gunshot rang out. He put a hand to his chest and pulled it away, gazing down at the dark red stain on his fingers. "While I'll be damned." Norrington lowered the pistol and rushed from the house, calling for water. The pirate sank to his knees on the floor. Ironic that he would die with his victims in this house. Ironic indeed...  
_  
The rib snapped and Jack scooted back, eyes wide. The charred skeleton's face turned towards him, the light glinting off the silver teeth in its mouth as it leered at Jack. "That's it." He got to his feet, easily pulling himself out of the hole and staring at Donner. "You're still here because of that." He pointed towards the skeleton. "The one thing you hate the most and your bodies have the same resting place as him." He scowled at Donner. "You need to get over yourself, mate. Death makes all men equal."  
  
Donner's expression grew even darker as he approached Jack. "I will not remain in this place with that filth lying nearby." He growled. Jack stared at him a moment, deadpan before giving the commodore a good right hook across the face. The commodore was still standing as Jack made contact and Will went flying across the floor and landed in a heap. The ghost stared at him. "Always thinking with your fist." He commented.  
  
Will shook his head, sitting upright. He wasn't quite sure what happened. Glancing up, he saw Jack cornered by the ghosts and got to his feet. "Leave him alone!" He shouted. Jack held up a finger.  
  
"Will, get the body and take it outside." He said, never leaving eye contact with Donner. Will narrowed his eyes in confusion.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Help me take the body outside." He moved towards the hole again, but found that he couldn't move his feet. Jack glared at Donner. "Little immature, don't you think?"  
  
"You're not going anywhere, pirate."  
  
"And you need to learn about the shades of gray in the world, mate. Not everything is as simple as you think." Jack tried to lift his feet, but couldn't. "You think all pirates are the same as the man under the floorboards there." Donner waited for him to continue. "I may be a pirate, but I don't kill needlessly. I steal, as does everyone else, maybe not just as publicly." He pointed at Will. "William Turner's son. He has the blood of a pirate, but he's a good man. Abides by the law and loves his wife." He glared at him. "Am I makin' any sense here?"  
  
Donner didn't say anything, almost as if he couldn't think of what to say. "I'm sworn to protect the innocent." He said finally.  
  
"And I'm sure you did a fine job of that." Jack said. "Now, if you'll let me go, I'll get that body out of your house and you can find peace. We have an accord?" Donner waved a hand.  
  
"Do as you please." He said and Jack's feet became loose from the floor again. He headed over to the hole with Will. Between the two of them, they dragged the bones from the house on a rug. Jack upended the rug onto the ground and watched as the bones rolled off.  
  
Will stood in the doorway of the living room, looking in at the two ghosts standing there. Donner's arms were around his wife and they both seemed to stare at the walls. He took a step inside, attracting their attention. Slowly he held his hands up. "I don't want trouble." He said honestly. Donner narrowed his eyes slightly, as if trying to remember something.  
  
"You. You were the boy they brought back to Port Royal the night of the attack. The lone survivor of the attack on the merchant vessel." He said. Will nodded.  
  
"That was me." He said softly.  
  
"William Turner's boy. How could I have not seen the resemblance?" He looked him over. "And yet not a pirate yourself."  
  
"No sir. Not a pirate. A blacksmith, actually." Donner looked down at Mary.  
  
"Maybe Jack Sparrow, scoundrel that he is, was right. Maybe there are shades of gray." She held him close, clinging tightly to his jacket.  
  
"Jack may be a scoundrel, but he's a good man." Will said. "He helped me save my wife from pirates. You can never judge a man on what he is, only on what he does." Jack smiled slightly, standing outside the door.  
  
Donner nodded. "Perhaps your right. My blindness has made my family suffer long enough." He looked down at Mary again. "Are you ready to go home, my love?" For the first time since he'd seen her, Will saw Mary smile up at her husband.  
  
"Yes, let's go home. I'm ready to rest." She told him. Smiling, he kissed his wife on the forehead before turning to face Will again.  
  
"Thank you, William. And our deepest gratitude to you, Jack. I didn't think it was possible to learn something from a pirate." Donner said. Will jumped, not realizing Jack was behind him. Jack smirked.  
  
"Aye, that you can." He said.  
  
And then they were gone. The living room was empty again, but the cold feeling had lifted from the room. It felt freer. Will let out a deep sigh and slid down the wall in exhaustion. Jack looked down at him.  
  
"Well, you can finally rest peacefully now." Jack said.  
  
Will rubbed his temples. "Not yet. I still have to find the undertaker about giving the bodies a respectful proper burial and see how much it's going to cost me to get the floor repaired." He groaned.  
  
"Good luck with that. I'm going to go meet up with my ship and get far, far away from here. Never did like this place much." Jack responded. In the hallway, the door groaned as it was pushed open.  
  
"William?" A voice called, tone shaky.  
  
"In the living room." Will called. He heard the sound of footsteps and Elizabeth came running into the room, dropping to her knees and throwing her arms around him.  
  
"I was so worried. I saw the bones and thought something bad had happened..." She trailed off as she looked around the room. "But I see it did."  
  
"It's over now, thanks to Jack. He figured it out." Will said, looking up at his old friend. "He found peace for the spirits." Elizabeth took Jack's hand.  
  
"Thank you." She said. Jack looked slightly uncomfortable with all the praise.  
  
"You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving." For Jack, he'd been in town long enough and the open sea was calling to him and he needed to answer that call. He headed for the door, but not before stopping and turning around. "And William, try to stay out of trouble this time." He told the blacksmith before he left. Elizabeth looked at Will, smiling. She leaned over and kissed him softly before getting to her feet. A frown crossed her face and she looked back down at her husband.  
  
"What happened to the floor?" 


End file.
